THE 2025 VERSION

On a hot, sweaty afternoon in January, I sat down with my brown, velvet-covered notebook and a fruity-scented pen, ready to sketch out a better version of myself.

Revelations

Over the past two years, I’ve gone through some major revelations about myself that surprised me more than anyone else, as if I rediscovered my own self. A few of them, in no particular order, are:

• My spirituality is my highest priority. If there’s one thing I want to achieve in a day, it’s my spiritual practice.
• Although I’ve some traits of a Type A personality, I don’t like to plan at a micro level. For example, planning out every single hour of the day or every day of the week doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried time blocking a couple of times but gave up because it created more hassle than clarity. Similarly, I can never seem to stick to daily reflections or a gratitude practice.
• Despite being an extreme introvert, I need a daily dose of healthy adult interaction to boost my energy.
• I like to keep my space clean. I’ve found that the satisfaction from having a clean space far outweighs the effort it takes to maintain it.
• I’m a morning person. Nothing boosts my mood more than the peaceful, quiet me time I get from waking up before everyone else.
• I love working out. I absolutely adore the feeling during a workout and the sense of accomplishment afterwards.
• I need to be very careful with the words I speak. They don’t just disappear into nothingness.
• My body language is very explicit. Sometimes, I say a lot with my body language without uttering a single word.
• How I behave or feel throughout the day depends heavily on whether I’ve had some alone time.
• The happiness and joy I get from purchasing fashion items or jewellry is ephemeral. I’m no longer interested in experimenting with fashion. I know exactly what I like, and I already have it.

Points to note

Taking the above into consideration, I had to keep the following in mind when figuring out how to prioritise my time, energy, and actions in order to maintain a steady growth in all spheres of my life:

• No matter how tired or busy I’m, I must complete my daily obligatory spiritual actions. Otherwise, I will feel like a complete failure.
• I must be kinder and nicer to myself and those closest to me. I need to be very careful with what I say and how I speak to my loved ones, and I must not take them for granted.
• I’ve to find time for myself, either by staying up late or waking up early. Since I enjoy the early mornings, I should try to wake up before everyone else.
• I need to continue incorporating workouts into my routine. Considering the season of life I’m in, three to four times a week is the most I can manage.
• I need to maintain and nurture some adult relationships in my daily life. I know I don’t always feel like it or want to invest the time and energy it requires, but it’s essential for maintaining my energy levels.
• I can’t keep up with daily planning or reflections. I’ll try weekly or monthly planning and reflections instead.
• I need to maintain a clean and decluttered space for my sanity.
• I like having something to look forward to, no matter how trivial—whether it’s a planned holiday, something to do, or something to purchase.
• Buying things impulsively will only make me feel worse. When I want to buy something, I should give myself some time to figure out whether I truly want it or need it.

So who am I?

I’m Mehnaz—a human, a Muslim, a mother, a wife, and a daughter. I’m hardworking and honest. I value privacy and avoid oversharing. I cherish peace and quiet and enjoy travelling. I prefer meaningful conversations over casual chatter. I’ve no desire to fit in where I don’t belong.

I don’t offer advice unless explicitly asked. I intentionally avoid dwelling on or ruminating over unhelpful past incidents. I don’t obsess over others’ perceptions of me if they don’t contribute to my personal growth.

While I may not care about everyone’s opinions, I try to treat everyone with kindness.

I try to cheer others but don’t crack jokes just for the sake of being funny. I maintain control over my words and am aware of the significance of the words that come out of my mouth.

I will do the following:

• Follow my curiosity with courage
• Show up with kindness
• Have Allah at the centre of everything

I’m not perfect, but a work in progress.

New Goals for 2025

• Wake up between 4:30 a.m. – 5 a.m. (5 days a week)
• Daily outdoor time (at least 10-15. minutes)
• Review and plan the week every Sunday
• Morning stretch – 10 minutes
• Call Ma and Baba daily
• Read the books I’ve already purchased and fully digest them before purchasing any new ones
• Set niksen time every month at least 1 hour – Engaging in activities without a specific goal or purpose, allowing the mind to rest and wander freely. Embracing moments of idleness and relaxation without feeling guilty or pressured to be productive

Strategies to implement

• Time block family time (daily from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
• Time block planned holidays
• Time block for niksen
• Water the backyard to get some sunlight and outdoor time while the kids play.
• Do a 10-minute kitchen clean up in the afternoon
• Work for 40 minutes at a stretch and reward myself with a 10-minute break.
• Try to sneak in an afternoon power nap
• Hug more and say I love you more often
• No mobile after 10 p.m.
• Whenever I go out, take a book with me

A promise I made to myself :

I promise to be kinder and gentler to the ones I love the most. I understand that just because someone does or says something wrong doesn’t always mean their intentions are wrong. Everyone makes mistakes; everyone stumbles. I promise to keep reminding myself that when we approach life with kindness, graciousness, and love, there is nothing to lose. Love and kindness don’t disappear into nothingness, they are stored somewhere and eventually blossom into something beautiful.

I promise that I will be like the willow tree—wispy and flexible. When things don’t go according to plan, I will try to go with the flow. My goals and vision will evolve with the seasons of my life. And finally, I promise to revisit the promises I made again and again to make sure they don’t just fade into empty words but remain a source of strength and guidance as I journey forward.